Emergencies and isolation

• Afterall, to see one's baby wail through the night in hunger and in discomfort, to see one's school going child going to school in uniforms that are not ironed, to hear the complaints of  your wife that she has nothing to cook with, does hit home at some point even if you are a diehard supporter.

I am not just referring to the utter turmoil my fellow country men and women are facing with non-availability of electricity, gas, petrol, kerosene oil, diesel, food, milk, the ridiculous price hikes in every product and commodity, every service, every basic requirement to survive. As I write, we are in curfew, that is under the umbrella of a State of Emergency. This island first experienced Emergency on August 12, 1953 and the last time was under this very same regime on 20th August 2021. We islanders are not unaccustomed to these situations, but it is distressing to realize that life, or rather survival has never been as bad as it is now.

I wondered in the past few months about just how long the people of the island would tolerate the hardships, no matter if they voted for this government or not. Afterall, to see one's baby wail through the night in hunger and in discomfort, to see one's school going child going to school in uniforms that are not ironed, to hear the complaints of  your wife that she has nothing to cook with, does hit home at some point even if you are a diehard supporter.
And the faucet burst. People defied circumstance and got on the streets to display their displeasure and their needs. I know the message has got to where it should. But now wonder what they will do to address the issues. I pray for my people. I pray for our children. I pray for the difficult situation that the forces who we all venerated, are placed in now, as they are ordered to go against the people. Would each of those men think of their own families, also facing the same tribulations as all the others? Would they sleep at night in peace?

In my own life I had a state of emergency. I was totally isolated from the world of communication and this being part of my livelihood, I was good as dead. My email account has been hacked.!!! It might be all over the news when some famous person’s account is hacked. There could be compromising information in their email. It is probably worth hacking to someone who wants to prove a point.

But I’m not a famous person. Who cares what is in my email? Most of what I have to say is public anyhow. If I was targeted, it was for some unfathomable reason, or else my large collection of 3 ingredient recipes!!

I found out when friends began emailing me. “Did you send this email?” or “I think your email account was hacked.” If you are among the people I correspond with, you most likely received my junk mail too and wondered if I had turned spammer.

This time it was different. Someone got into my address book and sent junk mail to the addresses of private contacts and business associates. Imagine my embarrassment. This was done by someone who knew what he was doing. Technical articles tell me there are many ways that web email can be hacked: by guessing your password, by guessing the answer to a security question, by using spyware when you sign into email on an insecure computer.

Sometimes the hacker guesses the answer to a security question that is too easy. My password was probably too easy. You should never use common words or phrases found in a dictionary. I’ve tried to secure my account now changing passwords and such. I have a feeling it is like your home, though. If someone really wants in, they will get in regardless of bolts, locks, or burglar alarms. If necessary, they will kick the door off its hinges – or use software that tries millions of passwords until it finds the right one.

The email to contacts was the tip of the iceberg. A ripple effect occurred when it went to groups that I subscribe to. Sigh. I felt I should go underground for a time. It is now sorted and I’m back to reality, facing the Emergency. I hope you will all get through these very trying times. Stay well, and positive! Till the next time then. Cherie Bye.
text Angela Seneviratne